Horse-boot.



Patnteu Feb. 25, |9o2.

C. B. TUTTLE. HoRsE BooT.

(Application filed Jun. 28, 1901.) (Nu Model.)

UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'CHARLES B. TUTTLE, or DETROIT,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO TUTTLE &;

HoRsE-Boor.

SPEGIFICATION formng part of Letters Patent NO. 694,340, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed January 28, 1901. Serial No. 45,079. (No model.)

To all witam, 'lit may eoncern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. TUTTLE, a 'citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Boots,of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to improvements in horse-boots, and particularly in the construction of such a boot for the fore feet designed to protect the quarters and comprising wearplates arranged at such a point on the rear of the boot that they will rest directly upon the rear extensions of the horses shoe combined with a fiexible portion between these wearplates, which permits the adjusting of the boot snugly to different sizes and shapes of feet.

The invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, as more fully hereinafter described.

4In' the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation `of a horseis foot, showing my improved boot applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the boot, showing in full and dotted lines the capabilities of adjustment of the boot to differ- 'ent sizes of hoof. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line .'10 a), Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of the hook-shaped wear-plate which is preferably used in carrying out my invention; and Fig. 6 is a cross-section similar to Fig. 4, showing the wear-plate applied in a slightly-different manner.

A represents the horseis hoof, and B the shoe thereon.

C is ahorse-boot applied to the hoof, being of the usual horseshoel shape adapted to fit the hoof and fasten thereto by means of a suitable strap and buckle D or in any other suitable manner. In the use of such boots, which are used universally on racing horses to prevent inj ury to their feet by overlappin g, &c., it is customary to make them of leather, and the rear portion resting around the quarters of the hoof are supported upon the upper edge of the shoe B. These shoes on racing horses are very thin, so that the boot is but a fraction of an inch above the ground and, as before described, rest directly upon the shoe. In the use of such a leather boot the constant wear of the leather upon the horse*s shoe is such as to very quickly, sometimes in a single (lay, so wear the boot as to cut up into the seams and practically destroy it. It therefore becomes quite necessary to find some means 'which will prevent this action and at the same time make a boot which will havetne fiexibility which is necessary to enable it to be properly fitted to the horseis foot, preventing `any undue pressure upon the soft part of the foot between the quar'- ters. I am aware that heretofore it has been proposed to put a metallic bar across the entire rear portion of the boot for the purpose of preventing this wear; but it will beobvious that such a device prevents the possibility of any adjustment or flexing of the back portion of the boot to fit it to the hoof, and it is also obvious that such a device makes a rigid metallic bar, which in case it should strike the ground by being too loose or in case there is a raised portion in the ground which would force such bar into the tender parts of the foot between the quarters.

My invention is intended to overcome the obj ections which exist to the construction referred to and to build a boot with the least Vpossible additional weight in the way of wearplates and which will give all the desired flexibility in the simplest possible manner by constructing and attaching the device.

D' is a wear-plate, which, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, is adapted to extend along the lower edge of the boot and which should be of suitable length to take the bearing the entire width of the shoe and to extend up upon the boot a sufficient distance to enable it to be secured thereto-for instance, as by means of a rivet E, passing through the upper portions of the plate and through the boot. This wear-plate I preferably form at its inner edge with an upturned fiange F, which extends up substantially parallel with the outer portion of the wear-plate D and which when the parts are secured together, as shown in the drawing, may be bent or peened over and forced into the leather, as shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose of preventing any inwardly-projecting metallic edges which would bear on the horseis foot and also to form additional se- IOG curing means for the wear-plate. Instead of securing the wear-plate to the outside of the boot I may secure it between the layers thereof, as shown, although I prefer the construction shown in Fig. 4, for the reason that it better protects the seam G, extending down over the quarters. Between these two wear-plates is the flexible portion H of the boot, which permits of adjusting the boot just as well as if the Wear-plates were not at; tached upon opposite sides to feet of various sizes and various shapes, and this is particularly necessary, because not only are horses feet of different sizes, but they are of very greatly varying shapes, 'and the fiexibility is necessary to fit the device as perfectly to any foot within a given range of size.

.Thus it will be seen that With the particular construction which I have shown my invention consists in wear-plates which protect the boot from wear upon both sides and yet leaves the intermediate flexible portion free to bend and conform to the various sizes and Shape of foot to which it may be desired to atlach it and free from any metallic projecting edges, which even if `the device becomes loose cannot injure the hoof or the foot of the horse to which it is applied.

It will be observed that the boot proper inclines from the front of the foot downwardly to the rear extension of the shoe andthat the edges of the wear-plate extend substantially horizontally. Thus the line of the lower edge of the sides of the boot and the lower edge wear-plates extend in planes which intersect at an obtuse angle. This shape of boot enables me to secure the boot in position without holding straps or lugs, to take all the wear on the'metal plates, and obtain all the fiexibility necessary in the boot, as heretofore described, for fitting the boot to the foot.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. A horse-boot oomprising a body proper shaped to fit the quarters of the hoof directly above the rear extension of the shoe, metal wear-plates-secured to the boot and extending to the lower edge thereof and arranged to rest upon the rear extensions ot' the shoe, said body portion having a fiexible, non-metallic portion betweenthe wear-plates; substantially as described.

2. A horse-boot having upon opposite sides of the rear portion thereof the wear-plates D', the outer portions thereof extending upon the outside of the boot down to and across the lower edge thereof, and the upwardlyextending fianges F peened over and forced into the latter flush with the inner face thereof and an intermediate flexible portion of the boot between said wear-plates.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnes'ses.

CHARLES B. TUTTLE.

Witnesses:

M. B. OiDoGHER'rY, II. C. SMITH. 

